Commissioners voted 3-0 April 11 to change 1,610 acres in the corridor from mostly residential reserve to primarily light industrial zoning. Most of the land surrounds the Kanza Fire and Central Crossing commerce parks. Another 330 acres is between S.W. 57th and 65th streets to the west of US-75 highway.

The rezoning couldn’t go into effect without the adoption of the measures commissioners approved Monday. The versions they adopted included amendments to the proposals the commission made last week.

Commissioners on Monday also heard the first reading of a proposed charter resolution they will consider Thursday that county counselor Rich Eckert said would allow for the one residential property in the economic development corridor to continue to be used as a residence.

The owner of the property involved supports the move, Eckert said, adding that the property’s use could later be changed by a unanimous vote of the commission.

Commissioners also voted 3-0 Monday to enter into a contract with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment arranging for the county to repay a loan used to finance the county’s recent Sherwood pump station project.

Public works director Tom Vlach said the county initially planned to use some money from cash reserves to pay for the $2 million project but then discovered the KDHE was offering 15 percent prinicipal forgiveness on loans taken out through its revolving loan fund if the project met specific conditions, which the Sherwood project did.

Shawnee County consequently took out a $2 million loan while being required to pay back $1.7 million, he said.

Vlach said the contract approved Monday allows for Shawnee County to replay the loan in full by Sept. 1 at a cost of $1,721,294, including $21,294 in interest. If repaid over 20 years, he said, the total cost would have been $2,204,269, meaning prepayment saved the county about $482,975 over the life of the loan.

Commissioners on Monday also:

» Voted 3-0 to solicit quotations from companies interested in providing the county 45,000 residential recycling carts to be used for a curbside recycling program the county plans to start next year.

» Voted 3-0 to vacate platted restricted access to four residential lots in the 3200 block of S.W. Urish Road. The public works department sought the move as it prepares next year to widen S.W. Urish Road from two to three lanes between S.W. Swonthold Road and S.W. 33rd Street. Vlach said the owners of the properties involved appear to be happy about the proposed move, which will involve tearing out the two driveways shared by the four lots and allowing each lot to have its own independent driveway.

» Voted 3-0 to fill a Spanish interpreter/translator position that becomes vacant next month at the Shawnee County Health Agency’s Community Health Center, as well as any county positions that may become vacant as a result of filling that job. The starting wage for the position is $11.85 an hour.

» Voted 3-0 to approve a contract between Shawnee County and Bright Circle Montessori School Inc. to operate the creative learning adventures programs at the Lake Shawnee Recreation Building and Velma K. Paris Community Center. The contract calls for the school to pay the county $1,250 per month. The county initially entered into a contract with the school last July to replace three permanent parks and recreation department employees.

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